Vehicle-gear.



mi Modal.)

F. E.' WILGUX.

VEHICLEGEAFL.

(Application filed Feb. 17, 1902.

W III @iflllllIllllllllllllllllllllllllllIlllmll .lllllllllllIIIIIIlllllllllllllllllllll Patented Sept. |6, I902.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

N0. 709,070. v Patented Sept. "5, i902,

F. E. WILCUX. VEHICLE GEAR. A plicacion filed Fgb. 17 1902. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

FRANK E. WILCOX, OF MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO L. E. HICKOK, OF MEOHANIOSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming-part of Letters Patent No. 709,070, dated September 16, 1902. Application filed February 17,1902. Serial No. 94.470. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. WILCOX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mechanicsburg, in the county of Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Gears, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the producdnction of a vehicle-gear which shall be'simple in construction and comprised of few parts, which shall have the axle, king-bolt ing, and lower member of the fifth-wheel integral, which shall have the head-block plate, reach-irons, king-bolt lug, and lugs for the clip integral, which shall have the spring and head-block firmly secured to the head-block plate by a three-legged clip, and which withal shall have the several constituent parts so assembled and adapted one to another as to constitute a superior instrumentality for performing the functions of a perfect gear.

My invention consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed."

The accompanying drawings illustrate an example of the physical embodiment of my improvements constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principle.

Figure 1 is a topplan view of the gear, the lower leaves of the elliptic spring being in section and a part of the upper member of the fifth-wheel broken away to show the slot in the lower member. Fig. 1 on the line a: m. Fig. 3 is a front view of Fig. 1 in elevation.

Referring to the severalfig'ures, the letter A designates a metallic axle, the ends thereof being removed. I

B is the perforated king-bolt l ug,'located in the rear of the body of the axle; O, a recess formed in the under surface of the lug; D, a conical projection upon the top surface of the lug; E, the circular lower member of the fifth-wheel forged integral with the axle; F, a slot in the lower member, (shown in full and dotted lines G, the upper member of the fifth-wheel; H, perforated lugs integral with the upper member; I, a headed bolt immovably fixed in the upper member of the fifthwheel and passed through the slot in the Fig. 2 is a section oflower member; J, a washer with a recess for a coiled spring; K, a coiled spring which is confined by a nut within the recess of the washer and which holds the members of the fifth-wheel in frictionalcontact, constituting an antirattling device; L, the head-block plate; M, the reach-irons integral with the head-block plate; N, the reaches; 0, a perforated lug at the front edge of the headblock plate; P, two perforated lugs at the rear edge of the head-block plate, located between the reach-irons; Q, a perforated kingbolt ing at the rear edge of the head-block plate; R, thehead-block; S, the lower leaves of an elliptic spring; T, a bearing-plate with a shallow recess located above the leaves of the spring; U, a three-legged clip seated within therecess of the bearing-plate, embracing the leaves of the spring and headblock and having its threaded legs passed through the perforations in the front and rear lugs of the head-block plate, to which the said legs are secured by nuts, as shown; V, a king-bolt with a perforated head hearing against the head-block, said bolt passing through the lug at the rear of the headblock plate, the lug at the rear of the axle, and the brace-head and being confined by a nut; W, a lower forked brace; X, the bracehead; Y, the bolt which secures the top portion of the king-bolt to the head-block, and

Z are bolts which unitethe ends of the uplegged clip presents a neat appearance, and the two rear legs thereof engaging the lugs of the head-block plate each side of the kingbolt lug hold the latter firmly and take part of the strain imparted to the lug by the move ments of the axle. In curving, the axle and lower member of the fifth-wheel only have movement, the king-bolt being anchored, and the strainsin drawing and backing the vehicle are transmitted to the brace-head and lug of the head-block plate, inasmuch as the axle-lug, brace-head, and lug of the headblock plate interlock, as shown. It will be observed that an open space is left between the rear legs of the clip to accommodate the head of the king-bolt and to receive a bolt for securing the said head to the head-block.

It is obvious that minor changes may be introduced in the practical application of my invention without constituting a substantial departure. For instance, the reach-irons may be made shorter and their ends located adjacent the king-bolt lug of the head-block plate, the interlocking parts may be reversed, and the dimensions and shape of certain parts changed or modified.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination in a vehicle-gear, of a head-block plate having integral therewith the front perforated lug O and the two rear perforated lugs P, P; a head-block above the plate; a spring restingupon the head-block; a clip having three legs passed through the perforations in lugs O and P, P; and a plate T located between the spring and clip; said plate T having a recess within which is seated the enlarged, fiat, top portion of the clip.

2. The combination in a vehicle-gear,'of an axle having in the rear thereof and integral therewith a perforated king-bolt lug; a headblock plate having an integral perforated lug Q located above the axle-lug, a front perforated lug O, and two rear perforated lugs P, P; a head-block; a spring above the headblock; a three-legged clip surrounding the leaves of the spring and the head-block and having its legs passed through'the perforations in lugs O and P, P; a brace with a perforated brace-head; and a king-bolt passed through the perforations in the lug Q, the axle-lug, and the brace-head.

3. The combination in a vehicle-gear, of an axle having a perforated king-bolt lug at the rear side thereof and integral therewith; a head-block plate having integral therewith the perforated front lug 0, rear lugs P, P, and Q, and reach-irons M located outside'the lugs P, P; a head-block; a spring; a threelegged clip having its legs passed through the perforations in the lugs O, P, P; a brace with a perforated brace-head; and a king-bolt; said king-bolt being passed through the perforations in lug Q, the axle king-bolt lug, and the brace-head, and the lug Q, king-bolt lug and the brace-head interlocking.

4. The combination in a vehicle-gear, of a metallic axle having at its rear a perforated king-bolt lug B, and a curved lower member of a fifth-wheel E provided with a curved slot F, said member being integral with the axle; an upper fifth-wheel member corresponding in shape with the lower member and provided with a bolt 1; a recessed washer J; a spring in the recess of the washer; a nut on the end of the boltI; ahead-block plate having perforated lugs and a perforated lug Q at the rear edge thereof; a brace with a perforated head; a reach-iron; a head-block; a spring; aclip; and aking-bolt passed through lug Q, the king-bolt lug, and the brace-head. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. WILOOX. Witnesses:

L. E. HICKOK, H. H. MERCER. 

